Dooku: Deceit and Desertion
by Ambidextrous Snake
Summary: Former respected Jedi Master, now the dark lord Count Dooku - recounts his disillusions in the moments leading up to leaving the order after a series of events lead him to lose faith in the Jedi Order, and the Republic. His encounters with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker have reminded him of his past Jedi life and identity, and why he must destroy the Jedi once and for all.
1. Chapter 1

Geonosis. 22 BBY.

Count Dooku; Darth Tyranus; traitor, Sith, an agent of evil. The Jedi's greatest failure.

This is how the Galaxy saw Dooku now. But it wasn't always like that.

The former Jedi Master stood above a paralyzed pair of Jedi. Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker. Kenobi's hand fell on Anakin, who had screamed in pain as his hand was severed. The two Jedi brothers laid still, too drowsy to sneak Count Dooku a look.

Dooku turned his lightsaber off, loosening his sweaty grip on its curved hilt. He was exhausted. Far into old age, the Count sighed and looked in disappointment at the two Jedi he had heard so much about. But it wasn't his disappointment in them. It was his disappointment in what the situation had come to. If only the Jedi could see past their dogmatic, narrow view of the Force - and challenged the corruption of the senate...Count Dooku, the branded traitor, tyrant, sith...knew this much.

In his tired state, his mind began to wander. And within an instant, he was home again.

His memory took him back over a decade ago, before the Clone Wars. He once had a great apprentice, Qui-Gon Jinn, whom he had trained from a boy.

"The Republic will be held accountable!" Count Dooku said emotionally to a young Qui-Gon.

"Surely they mustn't have known…" Qui-Gon suggests, but is cut off by his Master's rage.

"Fools. Half of the Knights, butchered by Mandalorians. And under my command." Dooku grieved.

Count Dooku struggled to keep his anger under control, and Qui-Gon could sense it. Dooku had returned from the Battle of Galidraan. In a political move by the Republic, Jedi were sent to confront the True Mandalorians, who were not the real enemy. Word had spread that the Mandalorians were murdering political activists on the planet, when in reality they were sent on a governor-sanctioned mission to eliminate hostile rebels in the vicinity. The misguided Republic believed the former, ordering the Jedi to engage the Mandalorians. There were heavy casualties on both sides, it was a pointless bloodbath.

"Peacekeepers. Not soldiers. The Jedi are not the Republic's military to be dispatched in their wars." Count Dooku explained.

Qui-Gon tried to console Dooku. Who leaned heavily on the empty room's window to Coruscant. "Master...I understand it must be frustrating. If it vexes you so, you should speak to the council. They respect you." Qui-Gon said.

Dooku rubbed his forehead and sighed. "I'm not sure if I would get anywhere with them. Lately I'm losing faith in the Council. I'm losing faith in our Republic, its democracy is on the verge of being torn apart by bureaucracy."

He turned to Qui-Gon, who was noticeably shorter and less imposing than him. He started "When you were first brought to me, I knew there was something different about you boy. You remind me of myself, only younger, and wiser. You will achieve great things - but do not let the Council prevent you from becoming who you are meant to be."

"Why would they do that?" Qui-Gon asked, intrigued.

"You will find the Council imposes their will on anyone who dares question the traditions of old." Dooku looked intensely into Qui-Gon's eyes. "I know your power, and for you, it is governed by your emotions. I've seen the way you tackle problems in the field. You do not analyse, you feel. You act on impulse."

Qui-Gon looked embarrassed, never having met a Jedi so open and honest. Dooku was certainly unorthodox, and most controversial.

"My apologies Master. I will do better."

"No." Dooku said. "Use your intuition, and trust in your senses. Trust in the Force, do not let the Council's ancient code betray your purpose. Abide by it and it will feed you knowledge, but bind yourself to it entirely - and a duller Jedi you will become."

Qui-Gon nodded. He and Dooku's ideologies seemed to be aligned. But this did not mean Qui-Gon was not worried. It was a dangerous view.

"Master, I care for you deeply, and on some level - agree with you. But what you suggest….if the council knew of your opinion, it could shake your reputation. You know of this."

"Those on the council are becoming blind fools. Their incompetence will be their downfall my young padawan. Trust in yourself, the Force and your own judgement - always. And if the other Masters wish to chastise you for it, they will answer to me."


	2. II

Dooku calmed himself. He was on the _Invisible Hand_ , holding Chancellor Palpatine prisoner….patiently awaiting his rescuers. His long-awaited rematch with those he bested in what felt like a millennium ago. He looked to Palpatine, who had his eyes shut. He was silent, concentrating. They both felt the two Jedi's presence too. An eery tremor. Getting closer, closer...until the door whisped ajar.

Dooku walked into the round room. He was now inside the Jedi Council chamber. There were seats arranged around him, half full. There was the likes of Yoda, Windu and Ki-Adi Mundi. But this did not stop the Jedi Master from airing his views.

 _32 BBY, the battle of Naboo_ had just concluded.

"I saw the holotape." Count Dooku said, his voice trembling.

Yoda gestured with his small, green appendages. "A most terrible loss, this is. Master Qui-Gon, your old Padawan, forgotten he will not be." Yoda was wise, and spoke in a kind of peace no other Master could match..

Yet Dooku struggled to suppress his anger, he didn't want the other Masters to see his passion, they would see it as a weakness. A path to the darkside, and an esteemed Master like Dooku could not afford to be second-guessed.

But in truth, he no longer cared.

"It was a Sith Lord, my good Masters."

Master Windu commented. "Qui-Gon had informed us of this unfortunate revelation. While we understand your pain, Master Qui-Gon's wisdom and teachings fall to his apprentice. We hope you take comfort in knowing Obi-Wan had brought justice to this evil, and is on the path to becoming a Master.

"Failed your student you have not, lives on in Kenobi he does." Yoda reinforces.

Dooku lost it. Kenobi was a great Jedi...but would never be another Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon was Dooku's successor, he was to bring change to the order...but Kenobi was just another Jedi puppet. Dooku felt disrespected that they would even compare Qui-Gon to Obi-Wan. They were completely different.

"You're right. I did not fail my student."

The council nods in relief.

Then Dooku says something which shakes the Council room.

"It was the Republic." It was like a seismic charge had rocked the Temple.

Short, awkward silence ensues. Yoda looks to Windu - who is no stranger to addressing those who stood on the edge of the Jedi's authority.

"I would advise you to be careful, Master Dooku. You have our respect, but the Republic has been an ally to democracy and of the Jedi for thousands of years."

"There is always time for change my friends. For thousands of years the Jedi have been sovereign protectors of the Galaxy, not servants that do the Republic's bidding, until now. You must now have realised, after losing one of our best to this pointless power struggle that the Order have become nothing more than political druges of the Galactic Senate."

"What you suggest is most disturbing, Master Dooku. What is it that displeases you about the Republic?" Windu asks, baffled and part-offended.

"It has come to my attention, and the attention of countless other star systems that the Galactic Senate, the Republic...is riddled with corruption. Countless senate politicians are under the influence of something darker."

Yoda makes a 'hmmm' sound, caught off-guard, but speaks nonetheless.

"Made a very bold statement, you have. The Council requires evidence before assuming. These unproven views with the influence of a Jedi Master - damaging for the Order, it may be."

"You undermine the value of my teachings. My knowledge of the Force is vast, you all know this. Is this not why both myself and Qui-Gon were swayed from being granted a seat on the council?"

"You have now overstepped your bounds, Master. The council do not need to justify itself to someone who has no confidence in its constitution." Windu eyes Dooku.

"The senate is dead. While my Council sits here bickering of current affairs, the Sith grow in power. Today marked the return of our most ancient foe. We must strike now, with or without the Republic's unlikely reform. Our old ways and ancient methods have driven the very Force from our palms, and clouded our clarity of vision. Can you not sense the darkness surrounding the senate? There is something very wrong, and I refuse to condone its continuation."

"Speak no more of this. This outburst from you will be put down to your recent loss. Your best course of action is to go back to your chambers and meditate." Windu warned, voice strained.

"Hmmmm. Relieve yourself of these troubling thoughts, you must." Yoda advises.

"For the time being, at least." Ki-Adi Mundi added.

"Stubborn fools, you will act on none of this?" Dooku growled in disgust.

He is greeted by silence, Windu can no longer bite his tongue, and even Yoda grows impatient at his disrespect.

"Then I will no longer be an instrument for the Republic's corruption."

Count of Serenno, Sith Lord, Master of the Force.

 _Aboard the Invisible Hand_

Dooku is now in the present. His senses come back to him. A pair of super battle droids clanged along with him to confront whoever dares enter.

Anakin and Obi-Wan turned to face Count Dooku. Twice the pride, double the fall.


End file.
